Lore… “Yes sir, in India anything is possible”

 In Hindu mythology, the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to “swallow” the sun during eclipses, snuffing out its life-giving light and causing food to become inedible and water undrinkable…

 My friend and former editor Lisa dug up this Hindu lore which helps explain the cause of a solar eclipse.  Lisa has left her editorial post on this blog to pursue a more lucrative role, apparently 20,000 Dong a year just can’t buy good help anymore. Lisa has taken on a new role as the foremost expert on Hindu scripture at Long Boarders University in La Jolla, CA.   Thankfully she still takes pity on my poor readers and occasionally contributes a few facts to my heap of lies. 

  My time in the temples of India has introduced me to just a fraction of the 3 Million+ Hindu gods so this was the first I had learned of Rahu and Ketu and their ambitious appetites.  What I have learned from temples and holy places of India is that the gods can, and do, take on many forms.  In fact some of these incarnations often have me wondering if someone isn’t using the Mr. Potato Head method to determine which animal’s head should go with which body and then how many appendages it should have.  Exactly what form Rahu and Ketu would have to assume in order to swallow the sun promised to be quite extraordinary.

Decisions 

News of an auspicious event had been circulating for awhile, even in the glacial peaks of the Himalayas so, I knew of the upcoming eclipse and it was high on my list of things to experience.  The trouble was I had finally worked my way to the soothing coolness of the mountains and the full eclipse was only viewable from the sweltering cauldron of lower India. What to do?  That’s when my patron deity stepped in, as she often does during moments of indecision. The god of mischief and fortune smiled on me and saw fit to introduce me to a new friend Laurenne.  She suggested we make a pilgrimage to Varanasi to watch the spectacle.  I’ve learned never to question the god of mischief and fortune so I agreed and was on my way down from the mountains.  Mischief has always been an easy temptress for me, but fortune added the irresistible incentive of scoring a quick 40 rupees off Laurenne and I knew my path was set.  All I had to do now was find the wandering American girl in the midst of Varanasi and play my vocabulary cards just right for 40 sweet rupees.

 As I have often found in India excitement and the promise of a new adventure easily greases the rusty wheels of India’s transportation system. So after 44hrs, two bus rides, a party with some pickpockets, sleeping on a bench, and one overnight train, I arrived in Varanasi.  I was excited to meet Laurenne, photograph and eclipse, and get my hands on the promised 40 rupees.  Though we had never met, Laurenne and I became quick friends. She impressed me with her ability to make up impromptu jokes about the street animals and I impressed her with my unique style of inflexible cursing yoga.  Unfortunately Laurenne proved too travelwise to shake down for 40 rupees.

Is that the smell of auspiciousness?

  The streets of Varanasi were packed with pilgrims who had come to town for a Shiva festival which happened to be occurring at the same time as the eclipse.  Thousands of bright orange clad pilgrims flooded the streets and Ghats shouting out a phrase which Laurenne interpreted as “gold bond,” apparently Shiva really has a thing for western medicated powder. 

 The god of mischief and fortune had even more players to add to the party, by the morning of the eclipse we had reunited with my Irish friends Caroline, Mairead, and James whom I had met in South India a few weeks back.  We now, had ourselves a proper eclipse party.  Clouds threatened visibility at first, but Laurenne made a silent promise of puja to the gods and the clouds broke enough to give Varanasi a great view.  Laurenne would pay a heavy price for her promise, having to immerse herself in the Ganges River.  The group was grateful for her sacrifice, we all agreed to be highly respectful and not tease her too much about her permanent loss of cleanliness.

Ring of Fire

  Swarms of people covered the banks of the river as the sky began to darken and the moment of full eclipse came near.  The usual background noise of the overcrowded Ghats fell to hushed murmurs as the sun went black.  The first cheer from the crowd came as the moon created a perfect ring of fire from the sun.  There was an unearthly excitement hanging in the crowd, wide eyes and open mouths directed to the sky. The excitement continued to build for a full 6 minutes until the sun’s rays reemerged forming the post ecliptic diamond ring.  A second cheer erupted from the crowed and as the blinding light returned faces gapping at the skies returned to the ground with smiles shared between everyone around. 

 I watched as more than a few hugs were exchanged between pilgrim and local, Indian and tourist, sinner and sadhu. The distance and language barriers between strangers disappeared for a few moments as Rahu and Ketu decided to spit back out the sun.  As the sun regained its full blaze the Ghats began to buzz again with prayers, songs, splashing bathers, laundry wallas, bodies being sent of to eternity, and of course the cows resumed their business.

  Seven westerners came together on a whim, witnessed an indescribable moment amidst the magic bedlam of India, and then scattered to our own corners of the world.  A silent agreement was made that day, we would all gather again on this spot in 132 years to watch Rahu and Ketu try again.

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